Tommy Fleetwood knows he must be "relentless" throughout the final two rounds of the Abu Dhabi Championship, as he enters the weekend joint-top alongside Aaron Rai.

Fleetwood was one of five players with a share of the lead after Thursday's opening round, having carded eight birdies and no bogeys on the opening day at Yas Links.

He followed that showing with a six-under round on Friday, mixing seven birdies – including three on the opening three holes – with a single bogey.

Rai joined him at the top of the leaderboard after carding a round of 64, with the trio of Richard Sterne, Nicolai Hojgaard and Andy Sullivan two shots behind the leaders.

Rory McIlroy is six shots back of the leaders after shooting a second successive 68, with Shane Lowry just three shots off Fleetwood and Rai.

Fleetwood, who secured the FedEx Cup in August, knows he must keep mistakes to a minimum if he is to claim a second successive win on the DP World Tour.

"It was another really good day. I got off to the perfect start: birdie, birdie, birdie. So that was good, especially when you've had a good round the day before," Fleetwood told Sky Sports.

1 - DP World India Championship
T1 - Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship@TommyFleetwood1 will head into the weekend tied for the lead, chasing back-to-back wins on the DP World Tour for the first time #ADGolfChamps | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/brMvKwnI9a

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 7, 2025

"I hit a lot of good shots, but there were a few times today where I drove it into the rough, and we read the lies really well. 

"I felt like we did a really good job of controlling the ball out of the rough and that was really pleasing.

"I still think around this golf course there are plenty of shots that are very testing, the scores have been very low as well.

"If you're going to be up there come Sunday, you're going to have to continue to be pretty relentless and keep hitting good shots and keep scoring. 

"I obviously feel good about my game and I'm doing so many things well. But I am also very aware of what the game can do to you as well."